The attached list identifies some of the topics that undergraduates might choose to research in the Ford Library's "open" collections. For some topics, the volume and quality of material are sufficient to support major honors thesis projects. In other cases, the scope of material might be more suitable to a 10-15 page seminar paper. In all cases, students must rely on the UM Undergraduate and Graduate Libraries for related books and articles. (The Ford Library's small printed works collection does not circulate.)

The 1974-1977 papers of President Ford and his White House, Domestic Council, and National Security Council staffs are the core of the Ford Library's holdings. Other materials include Ford's 1949-1973 congressional papers, 1973-1974 vice-presidential papers, files of First Lady Betty Ford and her staff, and a wide range of personal papers, oral histories, and organizational records from numerous, diverse sources. Library hours are Monday-Friday 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. The Library is closed weekends, evenings and Federal holidays. It is open during semester breaks and mid-term breaks. Students can learn more about Ford Library collections by:

Seeking advice by e-mail, telephone, or in person, from Library reference staff.

Consulting our on-line "Guide to Historical Materials". It has a master list of all collections with each collection entry linked to a more detailed description with a list of all folder titles.

Requesting search reports from our internal PRESNET database of over 90,00 folder titles and 300,000 index entries. We can e-mail reports to you or produce them while you wait. PRESNET is much more powerful than our website search engine.

International Relations, National Security
(Note: In addition to the topics cited below, U.S. relations with any given country might also be a feasible topic.)

Afghanistan Seeks Closer U.S. Ties
Agreement with USSR on Strategic Arms Control, Conservative Opposition in U.S.
American Corporations, U.S. Law, and the Arab Boycott of Firms Dealing with Israel
Angola's Civil War and U.S., Soviet, Cuban, South African, and Chinese Intervention
Cabinet Committee to Combat Terrorism
Chile, Pinochet, Congress, and the Human Rights Issue
Colby's Troubled Directorship of the CIA
Cuba - CIA Anti-Castro Activities under President Kennedy, as Investigated in 1975
Cyprus Partition, the Greek-American Lobby, and the Fight over Arms Sales to Turkey
Eastern Europe's Soviet "Satellite" Countries and the U.S. Policy of Detente with USSR
Egyptian-Israeli Sinai Disengagement Accord
Emigration of Jews and Dissidents from the Soviet Union
Foreign Aid Programs (including food aid)
Foreign Investments in the United States
Grain Sales to the Soviet Union - Detente and the Domestic Economy Collide
Helsinki Agreements (Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe)
Indochina Refugee Resettlement Program After the Vietnam War
Indonesia Occupies East Timor
Intelligence Community Investigations and Reform
International Economic Summits Begun
International Monetary System Reform
International Trade Policy (including passage of Trade Act of 1974)
Iran's Shah Tries to Buy Pan-American Airlines
Japan - President Ford and Emperor Hirohito Exchange Visits
Korea - North Korean Tree Incident/Axe Murders
Korea - South Korea - U.S. Relations and the Human Rights Issue
Law of the Sea Treaty Negotiations
Lebanon Collapses into Ethnic and Religious Civil WarMayaguez Incident (Khmer Rouge seizure of Merchant Ship and U.S. Armed Response
Micronesian Status Negotiations and the Northern Marianas Islands Compact
Military Base Closings in U.S., Military Procurement Contracts, and Domestic Politics
Missing in Action/Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia NATO and U.S. Relations with European Allies
National Security Council Meetings - Their Role and Conduct
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Policy
Ocean Fisheries Jurisdiction (200 mile limit)
Panama Canal Treaty Negotiations
Portugal and Its 500-Year Colonial Empire in Revolution and Breakup
Presidential Trips to U.S.S.R., Japan, South Korea (1974); China, Indonesia, Philippines (1975); Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Helsinki Summit (1975)
Rabat Summit of Arab Leaders Recognizes PLO as the Representative of Palestinians
U.S.-China Business Council (promotion of trade with the People's Republican of China
U.S. Policy and Africa's White Regimes (Namibia, Rhodesia, and South Africa)
Visits of Foreign Leaders to the U.S.
War Powers Resolution

American Revolution Bicentennial Celebration
Children's Letters to the President
Lt. Commander Ford's World War II Naval Service
President's Commission on Olympic Sports
Robert Hartmann's 1938 Student Visit to Imperial Japan and Occupied Manchuria
State Dinner Menus, Entertainment, and Guest Lists